Safety front jaw for ski bindings or fastenings

ABSTRACT

1,052,049. Ski bindings. H. MARKER. Jan. 28, 1964 [Feb. 11, 1963], No. 32172/66. Divided out of 1,052,048. Heading A6D. The subject matter of this application is the same as that disclosed in Specification 1,052,048 but the claims differ.

Sept. 13, 1966 H. MARKER 3,272.523

SAFETY FRONT JAw FOR sx1 BINDINGS 0R FASTENINGS Filed Jan. 3l, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 13, 1966 H. MARKER SAFETY FRONT JAW FOR sx1 BINDINGS 0R FAsTENINGs Filed Jan. 5l, 1964 2 Sheets-Shree?l 2 INVENTOR #afines Mawlew ATTORNEYS United States Patent M SAFETY FRONT JAW FR SKI BlNDlNGS GR FAS'IENINGS Hannes Marker, Alpspitzstrasse 37, Garmisch- Partenlrirchen, Bavaria, Germany Filed Jan. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 342,595 v Claims priority, application Germany, lieb. Il, 1963, M 55,747

9 Claims. (Cl. 28h-11.35)

This invention relates to a front jaw for safety ski bindings, comprising a pivot pin which is at right angles to the surface of the ski and on which a pivoted member is rotatably mounted, which pivoted member has a bore, which is preferably parallel to the pivot pin and accommodates a detent ball, a detent spring, and a spring abutment, which consists of a screw-threaded bolt and is adjustable in the axial direction of the bore to adjust the torque `required for a release. In the known front jaws of this kind, the screw-threaded bolt forming the spring abutment is extended beyond the pivoted member and has at its outer end an adjusting head, which is formed with a milled or knurled portion or with a slot for the insertion of a coin or screwdriver. The protruding adjusting head increases the space occupied by the front jaw. This is undesirable, particularly during transportation and in storage. More particularly, an adjusting head protruding upwardly or forwardly or rearwardly beyond the pivoted member constitutes an undesirable obstacle, which may catch other articles and which may lead to injuries. Besides, in the positions corresponding to the usual spring stresses a portion of the screw thread of the bolt protrudes from the tapped bore and is exposed to corrosive inuences. This may give rise to diiliculties, particularly when it is desired to set a higher spring stress by screwing the spring abutment more deeply into the bore after prolonged use.

In a front jaw of the type described rst hereinbefore, these disadvantages are avoided according to the invention in that the spring abutment is non-rotatably mounted in the bore and its external screw threads mesh with a milled or knurled nut, which is rotatably and axially nondisplaceably mounted in a slot which is formed in the pivoted member and extends at right angles to the axis of the bore, Whereas a portion ot the outside peripheral surface of the nut protrudes beyond the outside wall of the pivoted member. Hence, the adjusting grip is no longer constituted by a head of the screwethreaded bolt but by the milled or knurled nut, the major portion of which is protected by being accommodated in the pivoted member and which protrudes from the outside wall of the pivoted member only with the peripheral surfaces required for a frictional grip with the thumb and fore- `finger. The bore is not tapped because the spring abutment consisting of the screw-threaded bolt is adjusted in the axial direction of the bore only by the rotation of the axially non-displaceable milled or knurled nut. Hence, the spring abutment itself no longer protrudes from the bore. There is no need for the provision of a lock nut associated with the adjusting nut. Besides, the spaced required in the axial direction is much reduced because the spring abutment and the adjusting grip are accommodated in the same height region whereas it was previously necessary for the adjusting head to succeed the screw-threaded bolt in the axial direction.

In the front jaw according to the invention, the detent ball may co-act in a manner known per se with a detent socket provided in a baseplate secured to the ski. On the other hand, also in a manner known per se, a supporting and sole-holding member may be pivoted to the pivoted member for rotation about an axis which is parallel to the pivot pin and may consist of a tw0armed lever 3,272,523 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 having a front lever arm extending over the pivoted member as far as to the front end of the latter, which is also double-armed. In this case, the detent ball, detent spring and spring abutment may be accommodated in a bore which is parallel to the pivot pin and formed in the front arm of the pivoted member, and the detent ball may coact with a detent socket provided in the front arm of the supporting member. In the front jaws of this type, it was previously necessary for the spring abutment, which consisted of a screw-threaded bolt provided with an adjusting head, to be screwed from below into the bore of the pivoted member so that the access to the adjusting head for adjusting the spring stress was very difficult. This disadvantage is also avoided by the detent device designed according to the invention.

In a particularly desirable, further development of the invention, the spring abutment may have secured to it a pointer, which extends outwardly through a slot which is formed in the pivoted member and parallel to the axis of the bore, and the position of this pointer can be read from a scale which is provided on the outside wall of the pivoted member. In detent devices of the type under discussion here, the admissible range of the adjustment of the spring abutment corresponds in most cases to the height of a plurality of screw threads. Whereas the angular position of the adjusting head can easily be indicated by an index and a scale, this angular position does not permit of a conclusion as to the actual stress of vthe spring because the adjusting head must be rotated several times through 360 in order to adjust the binding from the lightest to the hardest setting. On the other hand, the pointer which is connected according to the invention to the spring abutment is displaced only in the axial direction and indicates always the exact spring stress. In co-operation with its guide slot, the pointer serves also for guiding the spring abutment along a straight line so that there is no need for the provision of further means for non-rotatably and axially non-displaceably mounting the spring abutment.

In the front jaw which has been mentioned hereinbefore and in which a supporting and sole-holding member is rotatably mounted on the pivoted member, the pivot pin and the pivoted member may comprise the .cooperating parts of another detent device, which becomes effective in the normal position of the pivoted member. In the previously known front jaws of this kind, the front jaw is held in its normal position by an angled leaf spring, which is mounted on the ski and has a rounded portion and co-acts with the rounded front edge of the `pivoted member. This retention in the normal position is required to enable a convenient stepping into the binding. When the milled or knurled nut and, if desired, the pointer are provided according to the invention in the front portion of the pivoted member, this angled leaf spring can no longer be used. The leaf spring forms also an undesirable obstacle. The detent device which is provided according to the invention and eitective between the .pivot pin and the pivoted member is not apparent at all from the outside but just as Ithe previously usual leaf spring retains the front jaw in its central position. On the other hand, the detent device is so weak that it does not modify the torque required for a release of the binding in use.

In a further development of the invention, the spring abutment consisting of a screw-threaded bolt may be provided with an axial opening, which is open at one end.

The compression spring is introduced into this axial opening so that a long spring can be used and consequentyly a large range of adjustment `can be obtained.

The invention will be explained more fully in the subsequent specication with reference to the drawing, in which an illustrative embodiment is shown. In the drawlng and sole-holding member as viewed from below at an oblique angle.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the spring abutment bolt with the pointer secured to it, viewed in the di-rection of the arrow V in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the abutment bolt.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a section view taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a detailed view taken along `line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a further alternate embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. l1 is `a section view taken along line 11-111 of FIG. 10.

The baseplate 1 is formed with screw holes 2 for use in securing the baseplate 1 on the ski, not shown. The peripheral surface is smooth in the lower portion and provided with external screw threads on the upper portion, which is somewhat reduced in diameter. The pivoted member 4 is rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 3, which is received by a bore formed in the pivoted member 4. The upper portion of this bore is tapped whereas the lower portion is smooth and slightly enlarged in diameter. The pivoted member is vertically adjustable by being screwed in engagement with the screw threads of the .pivot pin 3.

The pivot pin 3 is provided in its lower portion with a radi-al dead-end hole 5, in which a weak coiled compression spring 6 and a detent ball 7 are accommodated. The bore 8 of the pivoted member 4 accommoda-tes the pivot pin and has in its smooth lower portion a recess 9, the axis of which is parallel to that of the bore 8 and which receives the detent ball 7 when the pivoted member 4 lis in its normal position, s-hown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The coiled compression spring 6, however, is so weak that the detent device does not substantially resist a rotation of the pivoted member 4 from its central position. The recess 9 extends throughout the smooth portion of the bore 8 so that the pivoted member 4 can be vertically adjusted within wide limits.

The rear lever arm of the pivoted member 4, i.e., the lever arm which is on the right in the drawing, is formed with the bore 10l for a pivot pin 11, which extends at right angles to the surface of the ski throughout the pivoted member 4 and is screwed into the supporting member 12, which is provided with a sole-holder 13. When the safety binding is being used, the front edge of the sole of the boot bears on the supporting surface of the supporting member 12. This supporting surface is provided with yretaining ribs '14. Just like the pivoted member 4, the supporting member consists of a double-armed lever. The axes of rotation of the two double levers are offset. It the front edge of the sole of the boot exerts on the supporting surface of the supporting member 12 an excessively high torque, which could result in a fracture of the leg if the skiing boot were non-rotatably held in the binding, the supporting member 12 is pivotally moved about the pivot pin 11 to one side whereas the pivoted member 4 is pivotally moved in the opposite direction about the pivot pin 3. For this purpose, the resistance of the detent device accommodated in the front portion of the front jaw mu-st be overcome. The setting of this detent device determines the torque which causes a relative pivotal movement of the two parts of the front jaw.

The front lever arm of the supporting member 12 carries a detent socket 15, which may consist in known manner of 'brass whereas the supporting member 12 consists of an aluminum casting. The front portion of the pivoted member is formed with a bore 16, which has an upper portion, which is reduced in diameter and guides the ball 17 co-acting with the detent socket 15. The ball 17 is under the action of the coiled compression spring 13, the initial stress of which determines the torque which causes a pivotal movement of the supporting member 12 relative to the pivoted member 4. During this movement, the ball 17 is urged back into the bore 16.

According to the invention, the spring abutment 19 serves for settingl the initial stress of the spring 18. This spring abutment consists of a screw-threaded bolt and is accommodated in the smooth bore 16. A milled or knurled nut 20 is rotatably and axially non-displaceably mounted in a slot 21, which extends at right angles to the axis of the bore 16. The internal screw threads of the milled or knurled nut 20 co-act with the external screw threads of the spring abutment 19 so that a rotation of the milled or knurled nut 20 causes a vertical adjustment of the abutment 19, which is non-rotatably held in the bore 16. In the embodiment shown by way of example, this non-rotatable mounting is achieved in a particularly suitable manner by the indicating device 22, which consists of an angle plate, one flange of which is non-rotatably held in a diametral recess 23 at the bottom of the spring abutment 19 and is riveted or screwed to the abutment 19 at 24. The narrow neck 25 of the indicating device is guided in a slot 26, which is parallel to the axis of the bore 16 and formed in the front portion of the pivoted member 4. By this arrangement, the spring abutment 19 is held against rotation. At its end protruding beyond the slot 26, the angle plate 22 is bent upwardly and curved approximately in accordance with the curvature of the front portion of the pivoted member 4 so that pointer tips 27 are formed at both ends. During a vertical adjustment of the spring abutment 19 effected by turning the milled or knurled nut 20, these tips are displaced relative to a scale 28 provided on the outside wall of the pivoted member 4.

As is apparent from FIG. 6, the spring abutment 19 is provided with an axial dead-end bore 29, at the bottom of which a projection 30 is provided for centering the spring 18. Hence, the spring 18 does not bear on the top end face of the spring abutment 19 but on the bottom of the bore 29. For this reason, a long spring may be used, which enables a fine adjustment of the detent pressure.

Just as the supporting and sole-holding member 12, the pivoted member 4 may be made from metal or a suitable plastics material. In the latter case it may be suitable to provide recesses 31 open at one end between the bores 8 and 16 and between the bores 8 and 10 in order to increase the torsional strength of the plastics material because approximately tubular sections are obtained in a horizontal sectional view.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 9 which illustrate an alternate embodiment of the present invention, base plate 35 is secured to a ski, not shown. Rigidly attached to the base plate is the pivot pin 36 on which is mounted pivoted member 37. A pin 38 is mounted on said pivoted member preferably parallel to the pivot pin 36. On pin 38 is mounted a boot engaging or sole holddown memlber 39. The sole holddown member is vertically adjustable on the pin 38. The detent means in the alternate embodiment comprises a detent opening 40 in the base plate 35. Within a bore 34 provided in the pivoted member are mounted a detent ball 41, detent spring 42, and spring abutment 43. The spring abutment 43 consists of an externally screw-threaded bolt. A knurled nut 44 is mounted on the spring abutment. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the knurled nut 44 extends through the side walls of the pivoted member 37 thereby providing easy access to adjust the compression of spring 42. The spring abutment 43 is provided with a pin 33 which extends through slot 32 in the side wall of the pivoted `member thereby providing a spring compression indicating means as in the previous embodiment.

FIGS. and 1l refer to a further alternate embodiment of the present invention comprising a base plate 45 having mounted thereon a vertical pivot pin 46 with a pivoted member 47 pivotally mounted thereon. The pivoted member 47 has a detent recess 4S in it. The base plate 45 has an extended portion 54 having therein a bore 53 which is perpendicular to the pivot pin 46. Mounted in the `bore -53 is a detent ball 49, a detent spring 50, and spring abutment 51. As in the other embodiments, the spring abutment 51 is externally screw threaded and has a knurled nut 52 mounted thereon to extend through the side walls of the base plate 45 thereby providing ready access to adjust the compression of the spring 50. The spring abutment member 51 is provided with a spring compression indicating means comprising a pin S5 mounted on spring abutment 51 and extending through slot 56 in the side wall of the extended portion 54 of the baseplate 45.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety front jaw for ski bindings, comprising a baseplate secured to a ski, a pivot pin mounted on said baseplate at right angles to the surface of said ski, a pivoted member rotatably mounted on said pivot pin, a Ibore within said pivoted member which is preferably parallel to said pivot pin, a detent ball, a detent spring, and a spring abutment mounted Within said bore, said spring abutment comprising a non-rotatably mounted, externally screw threaded bolt axially adjustable in the direction of the bore and mounted therein to adjust the spring compression, a knurled nut rotatably mounted on said bolt, said nut being axially non-displaceably mounted in a slot formed in said pivoted member extending at right angles to said bore, the outside peripheral surface of said nut protruding beyond the outside wall of said pivoted member, a detent recess in said baseplate, said detent ball engaging said detent recess.

2. A front jaw according to claim 1 wherein `a pointer is secured -to said spring abutment, a slot formed in the pivoted member and extending parallel to the axis of the bore, a scale on the outside wall of the pivoted member adjacent said slot, said pointer extending outwardly through said slot whereby the position of the abutment may be determined on said scale.

3. A front jaw according to claim 1 wherein the pivot pin and the pivotal member comprise the coacting parts of a second detent means which becomes effective in the normal position of the pivoted member, said second detent means comprising a bore in said pivot pin perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, a second spring and a second detent ball mounted within said bore, and a detent recess in said pivotal member adjacent said detent ball, said detent lball and said detent recess coacting.

4. A safety front jaw for ski bindings comprising a baseplate secured to a ski, a first pivot pin mounted on said baseplate extending at right angles to the surface of said sk-i, a pivoted member pivotally mounted on said pivot pin, a bore in said pivoted member the axis of which is parallel to the axis of said first pivot pin, a detent ball, detent spring, and spring abutment mounted within said bore, a detent recess means within said baseplate adjacent said detent ball, said pivoted member being so arranged `that said detent ball is normally engaged to said detent recess, said spring abutment comprising a non-rotatably mounted, externally threaded shaft, a knurled nut rotatably and axially non-displaceably mounted on said shaft, a slot in said pivoted member extending at right angles to the axis of said bore, said knurled nut extending beyond said slot, scale means external of said slot on said pivoted member, pointer means mounted on said spring abutment adjacent said scale means, whereby the compressional 6 forces of said spring against said detent ball may be readily `and accurately adjusted by rotating said knurled nut thereby determining the required torque for depressing said detent ball for releasing said sole holding member for rotation about said pivoted member.

5. The front jaw according to claim 4l wherein said pivot has therein a bore perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, a second detent ball and second detent spring mounted within said second bore, `a second detent recess in said pivoted member, said second detent ball and said second detent recess engaging in the normal posi-tion.

6. A safety jaw for a ski binding comprising a stationary member to be attached to a ski, a first pivot pin secured to said member and extending at right angles thereto, an intermediate member mounted for rotation about said first pivot pin, a second pivot pin secured to said intermediate member and extending at right angles thereto, a hold-down member capable of engaging the ski boot, said hold-down member being mounted for rotation about said second pivot pin, a first bore in said intermediate mem-ber extending parallel to said first pivot pin, a first detent ball means partially within the end of the bore of said intermediate member nearest said hold-down member and adapted to engage a recess therein, a second bore in said first pivot pin extending perpendicular to the axis of said first pivot pin, a second detent Iball partially within the end of the second bore adapted to engage a recess in said intermediate member, a threaded rod mounted in said first bore, spring means mounted between said rod and said first detent ball and biasing said ball to a repose position and against said rst detent recess when said hold-down member is in its normal position., said threaded rod being adjustable to adjust the spring compression whereby a predetermined amount of torque is required to initially deflect said hold-down member from its normal position 7. A safety front jaw for ski bindings, `comprising a baseplate secured to a ski, a pivot pin mounted on said baseplate at right angles to the surface of said ski, a pivoted member rotatably mounted on said pivot pin, a second pivot pin mounted on said pivoted member parallel to said first pivot pin, a sole holding member pivotally mounted on said second pivot pin, said sole holding member consisting of a two-arm lever having a. front arm extending over the pivoted member as far as the front end of the latter which is also double armed, a bore within said pivoted member which is preferably parallel to said pivoted pin, a detent ball, a detent spring, and a spring abutment mounted within said bore, said spring abutment comprising a non-rotatably mounted, externally threaded bolt axially adjustable in the direction of the bore and mounted therein to adjust the spring compression, a knurled nut rotatably mounted on said bolt, said n-ut being axially non-displaceably mounted in a slot formed in said pivoted member extending at right angles to said bore, the outside peripheral surface of said nut protruding beyond the outside wall of said pivoted member, a detent socket provided in the front arm of the supporting member adjacent said detent ball, said detent ball and said detent socket coacting.

8. A safety front jaw for ski bindings: comprising a baseplate secured to a ski, a pivot pin mounted on said baseplate mounted at right angles to the surface of said ski, a pivoted member rotatably mounted on said pivot pin, detent means between said baseplate and said pivoted member to prevent the rotation of said pivoted member about said pivot pin, said detent means comprising a bore within said baseplate directed towards said. pivoted member, a detent ball, a detent spring, and a spring abutment mounted within said bore, said spring abutment comprising a non-rotatably mounted, externally screw-threaded bolt axially adjustable in the direction of the bore and mounted therein to adjust the spring compression, a knurled nut rotatably mounted on said bolt, said nut being axially non-displaceably mounted in a slot formed in said baseplate at right angles to said bore, the outside peripheral surface of said nut protruding beyond the outside wall of said baseplate, a detent recess in said pivoted member, said detent ball engaging said detent recess.

9. A safety front jaw for ski 'bindings comprising a baseplate secured to a ski, a pivot pin mounted on said baseplate at right angles to the surface of said ski, a pivoted member rotatably mounted on said pivot pin, detent means Ibetween said baseplate and said pivoted member to prevent the rotation of said pivoted member about said pivot pin, said detent means comprising a bore within said pivoted member directed towards said baseplate, a detent ball, a detent spring, and a spring abutment mounted within said bore, said spring abutment comprising a non-rotatably mounted, externally screw threaded bolt axially adjustable in the direction of the bore and mounted therein to adjust the spring compression, a knurled nut rotatably mounted on said bolt, said nut being axially non-displaceably mounted in a slot formed in said Ibaseplate at right angles to said bore, the outside peripheral surface of said nut protruding beyond the outside 20 BENJAMIN HERSH,

wall of said baseplate, a detent recess in said baseplate, said detent ball engaging said detent means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,836,428 5/1958 Marker 280-l1.35 2,994,543 8/1961 Hvam 280-11.35 3,027,173 3/1962 Beyl 280-11.35 3,029,085 4/1962 Berlenbach 280-1135 3,179,4-34 4/1965 Minisini 2SC-11.35

FOREIGN PATENTS 193,770 12/ 1957 Austria. 1,198,203 6/ 1959 France. 1,201,865 7/1959 France.

543,150 5/1956 Italy.

269,062 10/ 1950 Switzerland.

331,880 9/1958 Switzerland.

Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner. 

1. A SAFETY FRONT JAW FOR SKI BINDINGS, COMPRISING A BASEPLATE SECURED TO A SKI, A PIVOT PIN MOUNTED ON SAID BASEPLATE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SURFACE OF SAID SKI, A PIVOTED MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT PIN, A BORE WITHIN SAID PIVOTED MEMBER WHICH IS PREFERABLY PARALLEL TO SAID PIVOT PIN, A DETENT BALL, A DETENT SPRING, AND A SPRING ABUTMENT MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BORE, SAID SPRING ABUTMENT COMPRISING A NON-ROTATABLY MOUNTED, EXTERNALLY SCREW THREADED BOLT AXIALLY ADJUSTABLE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE BORE AND MOUNTED THEREIN TO ADJUST THE SPRING COMPRESSION, A KNURLED NUT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BOLT, SAID NUT BEING AXIALLY NON-DISPLACEABLY MOUNTED IN A SLOT FORMED IN SAID PIVOTED MEMBER EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID BORE, THE OUTSIDE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID NUT PROTRUDING BEYOND THE OUTSIDE WALL OF SAID PIVOTED MEMBER, A DETENT RECESS IN SAID BASEPLATE, SAID DETENT BALL ENGAGING SAID DETENT RECESS. 